JGP Sencila-Bled 2012 Ice Dance Preview

JGP Sencila-Bled Dance Preview

This event takes place in Bled, Slovenia.

Alexandra Aldridge & Daniel Eaton USA should repeat their win at Lake Placid here, especially since I expect they will have solved their difficulties with hitting the key points in the Blues Pattern Dance. I expect them to be joined on the podium by Anna Yanovskaia and Sergei Mozgov RUS, the silver medallists from JGP Austria. Both teams have had a chance to incorporate the critiques of the technical panels from their previous JGP outing into their programs, which is certainly an edge they have over competitors for whom this is their first 2012-2013 season competition. And, of course, since there is not a huge gap between the two teams, Yanovskaia & Mozgov may take the gold, too. As usual, it is more difficult to guess who will fill out the other four slots in the top six. Andreanne Poulin and Marc Servant won the bronze at Lake Placid, and I think they have a good chance to repeat that performance here. Other teams who may surprise us are Anna Nagornyuk & Viktor Kovalenko UZB, who have not yet competed on the JGP this year, and Daria Korotitskaia and Maksim Spodirev UKR, who finished fourth at Courchevel.

Aldridge, who is 18, & Eaton, who is 20, are coached by A. Krylova, M. Scali, N. Deller, & E. Swallow. Their choreographer is Pasquale Camerlengo. Their previous coach was Seth Chafetz, the coach Davis & White had before they moved to Michigan. Alex & Daniel are the reigning US junior champions and World junior bronze medallists.
Golden Skate did an interview with them last yearhttp://www.goldenskate.com/2012/02/a...ge-in-belarus/

Anna Yanovskaia & Sergei Mozgov RUS
SD Blues; Swing: Land of a Thousand Dances by Wilson Pickett
Anna is 15 and Sergeiy is 17. They have not as yet announced their programs this season.
Their coaches are : Svetlana Alexeeva, Elena Kustarova, & Olga Riabinina, and their choreographer is Elena Kustarova.
Anna & Sergei won the Youth Olympics Games 2012 with their personal best score of 146.96. They qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final last year, winning the silver medal, with a score of 136.61, and finished 4th at Junior Worlds, with a score of 140.63. They also placed 4th at Russian Junior Nationals last year.
They recently finished second at JGP Austria. to Papadakis & Cizeron. Anna & Sergei's score there was 135.02.
Their SD at JGP Austriahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQKmdiIdvhU
Their FD at JGP Austriahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dxc9Pxn3VU

Andreanne Poulin & Marc-Andre Servant CAN
SD Mars vs Venus by Usher; Without You by David Guetta ft. Usher
FD American Empirical Pictures by Alexandre Desplat; Mr. Fox in the Fields by Alexandre Desplat; Cains Lubus by Alexandre Desplat; Whack-Bat Majorette Ensemble by Alexandre Desplat
Andreanne is 17, Marc-Andre is 21.
Their coaches are Shawn Winter & Elise Hamel, and their choreographer is Shae Zukiwsky
They are the reigning Canadian Junior Champions.
Here is the Golden Skate article about their victory at Canadians, with a nice photo:http://www.goldenskate.com/2012/01/p...-junior-dance/

They placed 20th at Junior Worlds last year. Their highest international total score is 118.00, scored at JGP Pokal der Blauen Schwerter in 2010. Andreanne & Marc-Andre withdrew from Quebec Summer Skate.

Daria Korotitskaia and Maksim Spodirev UKR
SD Blues: Come Together by George Martin; Swing: Dancing Fool by Bobby Mc Ferrin
FD Paxi Ni Ngongo - Don Juan musical soundtrack
Their coaches are Galina Churilova and Mariana Kozlova, and their choreographer is Larisa Fiodorova. Daria is 15, and Maksim is 18.
They made their JGP debut at Courchevel, where they finished fourth with a score of 111.23, their best and only ISU score.
Their SD at Courchevelhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-RZyA-i6Yw
Their FD at Courchevelhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFLzawHgYmk

Anna Nagornyuk & Viktor Kovalenko UZB
SD Blues: One Night by Elvis Presley; Jive: Long Tall Sally by Elvis Presley
FD Me Voy by Jasmin Levy; Flamenco
Their coaches are Svetlana Alexeeva & Olga Riabinina, and their choreographer is Elena Kustarova. Anna is 16, and Viktor is 20.
Their best ever score was 114.98 at JGP Tallinn last year, where they placed sixth. They are the senior champions from Uzbekistan. They placed eight at Four Continents last year, and twenty-fifth at Worlds.
Their FD from the World Junior Championships last year, where they placed twelfth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLaLAAiI1Fs

Sofia Evdokimova & Egor Bazin RUS
SD Blues; Swing Music
FD Gangs of New York
Sofia and Egor's coach is Oleg Sudakov, and their choreographer is Elena Maslennikova.
This is their second year on the JGP. They earned 116.81 total at JGP Austria last year, and placed sixth at the Russian junior championships..
They finished sixth at JGP Courchevel this season.
Their SD at Courchevelhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUBn7XVqyhY
Their FD at Courchevelhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG0BgGYJIog

Noa Bruser & Timothy Lum CAN
have been replaced by Caelen Dalmer & Shane Firus CAN
SP Swing: I've Got a Woman by Ray Charles; Blues: Don't Cry Baby by Etta James;Swing: I've Got a Woman by Ray Charles
FD Macavity; Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer; Prologue: Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats (all from "Cats") by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Caelen and Shane are coached by Megan Wing & Aaron Lowe, who also do their choreography. Caelen is 15, and Aaron is 16.
They achieved their best ever score at W. Lombardi Trofee JGP last season, where they placed ninth. The total was 102.38 points.
They placed seventh at Canadian Junior Nationals.
At BC/YT Summerskate, they beat Bruser/Lum in the short dance, scoring 49.16, to place second to Pang & Edwards. In the FD, they finished hundredths of a point behind Bruser/Lum; expectations for this team here in Sencila/Bled should be about the same as for Bruser/Lum.
Their this season's SD at BC/YT Summerskate (thank you, Sylvia)http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/24784372
Their this season's FD at BC/YT Summerskatehttp://www.ustream.tv/recorded/24804040

Karina Uzorova & Ilias Ali KAZ
SD Blues: Only You; Swing Music
FD Live for the One I have; The Age of the Cathedrals; The Refugees (all from Notre Dame de Paris) by Richard Cocciante
Ilias is 17 and Karina is 15. Their coaches are Kuralai Uzurova & Maia Usova, and their choreographer is Maia Usova.
They are the senior champions of Kazakhstan. Their best international total score was 102.77, which they earned in finishing sixth at the 2012 Youth Olympic Games. They finished twenty second last year at the World Junior Championships.
Their SD from JGP Volvo Cup last yearhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJE2uHZiQH8

Alessia Busi & Andrea Fabbri ITA
SD Swing: Bei mir bist du schoen; Blues: Bei mir bist du schoen
FD Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen; Don't Stop Me Now by Queen
Alessia is 18, & Andrea is 19. Their coaches are Barbara Fusar Poli and Barbara Riboldi. Their choreographers are Corrado Giordani, and Liudmila Vlasova.
They achieved their personal best of 101.79 at last year's JGP Austria.
They are the Italian silver medallists in juniors, achieving a score there of 104.15.
They finished twelfth at JGP Austria in 2012.
Their SD from JGP Austria 2012http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byF4PbQV1t8
Their FD from JGP Austria 2012http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxL5bX-enBs

Olivia Smart & Joseph Buckland GBR
have been replaced byMina Zdravkova & Henry Aiken GBR
SP It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing by Puppini Sisters
LP Two Worlds Reprise & African Dream Song (both from Tarzan Soundtrack)
This was a team formed in July.
Mina and Henry are coached by John Dunn. Their choreographer is Marika Humphreys-Baranova. Mina is 13, and Henry has just turned 17.
They did not compete at the most recent British Championships, either in Senior, Junior, or Novice divisions.
Mina used to skate in Bulgaria (seen here in 2009)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEuorsdWdOI
Henry's sister Charlotte also has competed for Great Britain in ice dance, with her partner Josh Whidborne.

Ria Schiffner & Julian Salatzki GER
SD Blues: Stop and Stare by The Baseballs; Swing: Big and Bad by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
FD Prayer in the Night by Amici Forever
Ria is 16; Julian is 18. Their coaches are Christina Beier & Vladimir Tsvetkov, and their Choreographer is John Kerr.
They placed fourth in juniors at the last German Nationals.
Their SD from last year's Tallinn Cup, where they earned their best ever score of 84.23..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu_5sJsDJd0

Viola Zahklyupana & Jeremy Flemin FRA
They have no ISU bio at this time, and are a new team this year.
Last year Jeremy competed in ice dance for France on the JGP circuit, skating with his sister. Their Hiphop Exhibition program from 2011http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbO2tks3Dfg
This summer Viola & Jeremy competed at the Lyon Summer competition in juniors. They finished sixth in the SD with a score of 37.38, and sixth in the free dance with a score of 56.71. This is their JGP debut as a team.

Magalie Leininger & Maxime Caurel FRA
SD Blues: Minnie the Moocher; Swing: Shout by the Isley Brothers
FD I got a woman way across town by Ray Charles; It's a Man's World ; The Mess Around
Maxime & Magalie are both 17.
Their best total personal score of 101.60 was at JGP Austria this year..
They were sixth in Juniors at the International Ice Dance Trophy in Lyon in 2012 (a winter international event) and third in the Summer Cup FD at Lyon, and fifth in the SD at that competition.
They competed at JGP Austria recently, and finished ninth there.
Their SD from JGP Austriahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5v2CjbUBbk
Their FD from JGP Austriahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nHVge1x4NY

Johanna Allik & Paul Bellantuono EST
SD Swing: Don't Mess With My Man by Nadja; Blues Me and Mr. Jones by May Winehouse
FD Polovetstian Dances from Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin
Johanna is 18 and Paul is 19.
They train with Coaches Anjelika Krylova, E. Punsalan, M. Scali and N. Deller. Their Choreographers are Anjelika Krylova & Kaie Korb
They are the reigning Estonian Junior champions.
They finished 4th in their section of the SD at LPIDC with a score of 42.67, and 8th in their section of the FD with a score of 56.00
They did place 9th at the Santa Claus cup last year.
Johanna used to compete in singleshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTir3k7eRFY
Their best ever score of 93.15 was earned at JGP Lake Placid this year.
Their SD from Lake Placidhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1AjNBsx3PA
Their FD from Lake Placidhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXzG1jqK8Pg

Katerina Konickova & Matej Lang CZE
Their ISU biography has not been updated this year.
Katerina & Matej's coach: is Lucie Kadlacakova. Katerina is 16, and Matej is 17. Their choreographers are: Barbara Fusar Poli & Veronika Moravkova
They achieved their personal best total score of 80.48 at the JGP Baltic Cup 2011.
They placed second in Juniors in the Czech Republic last season. They placed twelfth at the Bavaraian Open 2012.
Their SD from JGP Brasov last yearhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdqgWqti_c8

Evgenia Tkachenka & Yuri Gulitski BLR
Their ISU biography has not been updated this year.
Their coach is Tatiana Beliaeva, and their Choreographer is Volha Fomenko.
Eugenia is 14 and Yuri is 16.
Their best ever score was in the Youth Olympic Games 2012 where they finished tenth with a score of 74.56
They placed fifth in seniors at their last national championships.
They recently finished fourth at Ice Star Minsk.
Their SD from last year's JGP Volvo Cuphttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeC9g30VVTM

Yes, those two teams switched, and now Smart/Buckland aren't there, and Mina ZDRAVKOVA / Henry AIKEN are in the starting line up. I'll fix the preview.

Okay, here's what I have for Dalmer/Firus:Caelen Dalmer & Shane Firus CAN
SP Swing: I've Got a Woman by Ray Charles; Blues: Don't Cry Baby by Etta James;Swing: I've Got a Woman by Ray Charles
FD Macavity; Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer; Prologue: Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats (all from "Cats") by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Caelen and Shane are coached by Megan Wing & Aaron Lowe, who also do their choreography. Caelen is 15, and Aaron is 16.
They achieved their best ever score at W. Lombardi Trofee JGP last season, where they placed ninth. The total was 102.38 points.
They placed seventh at Canadian Junior Nationals.
At BC/YT Summerskate, they beat Bruser/Lum in the short dance, scoring 49.16, to place second to Pang & Edwards. In the FD, they finished hundredths of a point behind Bruser/Lum; expectations for this team here in Sencila/Bled should be about the same as for Bruser/Lum.
Their this season's SD at BC/YT Summerskate (thank you, Sylvia)http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/24784372
Their this season's FD at BC/YT Summerskate

And for Mina Zdravkova & Henry Aiken GBR
SP It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing by Puppini Sisters
LP Two Worlds Reprise & African Dream Song (both from Tarzan Soundtrack)
This was a team formed in July.
Mina and Henry are coached by John Dunn. Their choreographer is Marika Humphreys-Baranova. Mina is 13, and Henry has just turned 17.
They did not compete at the most recent British Championships, either in Senior, Junior, or Novice divisions.
Mina used to skate in Bulgaria (seen here in 2009)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEuorsdWdOI
Henry's sister Charlotte also has competed for Great Britain in ice dance, with her partner Josh Whidborne.